Eternity's Prize
by jennamarie
Summary: Giftprize fic for Eternity's Heir.  Hisoka wakes up to his worst nightmare, where's Tsuzuki, and how did he end up in this place...
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

The roar of the fire obscured all other noise, but he could still see, and he watched through slowly fading vision at the scene that played out before him.

The man in the pale blue yukata sat on his knees, eyes blank, reflecting the dancing flames. A giant black winged serpent hovered over the man. The man's arms reached out, as if in supplication to the black serpent that moved through the heat of the fires, then slowly lowered, his head turning as if something had caught his attention.

The next moment, a slender figure stood in front of the man, reaching out a hand to him. The man shook his head, dark brown hair falling to cover his eyes and he turned his face away from the other. Tears glistened in the flickering light of the flames as they traced their way down his cheeks.

Then the smaller figure threw himself on the man, slender arms wrapping around him, fingers clenching tightly to the fabric of the yukata, and the mans head came up in shock.

A tremor racked the small frame, and slowly, the man's arms came up to return the embrace. The man's eyes closed and he raised his face and something that was almost a smile touched his lips.

Burning rubble fell across his line of sight, hiding the pair from him, and as his vision narrowed to a pinprick, there was a feeling of being lifted…

And then, darkness…


	2. Chapter 2

Hello ladies and gentlemen, today's story will feature the following warnings:

Angst, suffering, Muraki, angst, torture, plot holes, long waits between chapters; well I'm sure you all know the drill. For now this fic is rated T, but that may change, espcially around chapter 4, it depends how much I can get away with...

The prologue and first chapter have both been read by three people, so thanks to Unclear Destiny, Lady Crimson Rose, and of course, TrisakAminawn, I owe you untold thanks. (UD, if you're still interested, contact me!)

This fic is a prize fic for **Eternity's Heir**, she has requested a His/Mur pairing, romance/angst fic…

I hope this pleases!

Disclaimer: I own nothing, but I can keep dreaming!

Finally, watch out for the flashbacks! A sizeable portion of the story will be told in flashbacks; you will recognize them by the italic print!

**Chapter 1**

Kurosaki Hisoka knew there was something wrong before he even opened his eyes, but his sleep dazed mind couldn't figure out what.

Slowly, emerald green eyes blinked open to a dark room.

'It's wrong.' He thought, his gaze panning around the room, skimming over unfamiliar shapes. 'This can't be the hotel room.' The large bed that he was lying in was covered in heavy warm comforters, unlike the narrow futon that the hotel had provided. He pushed himself into a sitting position as he looked around trying to find a light.

A movement drew his attention to a dark corner of the room, and he turned towards it squinting into the darkness, trying to see what or who was there. "Tsuzuki?" He called out tentatively, but that was wrong too, it didn't feel like Tsuzuki.

A shadowy figure began to move closer and Hisoka bit back a cry as the white garments became visible through the dark. Emerald green eyes widened and he shook his head, hoping desperately that the vision approaching him was a hallucination, a product of his still groggy and confused mind.

"So you're finally awake."

Hisoka flinched as the silky voice washed over him; he swallowed heavily, and then flinched again at the bitter taste in his mouth. "You…" he croaked accusingly, and then cleared his throat. "Where am I? How did I get here?"

Muraki Kazutaka moved to a chair near the foot of the bed and took a seat. Hisoka tensed at the doctor's proximity, but refused to give in to his desire to move away; he would not show weakness in front of the man who had killed him. Resolutely, he met Muraki's gaze.

Muraki leaned forward in his seat, his forearms resting on his crossed legs, making no other move towards him. He noted the boy's tense posture, like a bow string ready to snap. "You are in my home." The doctor told him calmly. "As for how you got here, your partner drugged you and brought you to me."

"No!" Hisoka's voice was little more than a whisper. "You're lying!"

"Am I?" Muraki asked. "You're the empath, you should be able to tell whether I'm lying or not."

"Tsuzuki wouldn't just hand me over to you!"

"I'm sorry to tell you this, but apparently he would, because he did. But you don't have to take my word for it, or even your own abilities. I'm sure the hospital I was working at that night has adequate footage on their surveillance cameras."

Hisoka let out a strangled sound of denial, feeling the truth in the doctor's words.

"Come then bouya, it's time to get up." With that declaration Muraki got to his feet and moved over to a set of heavy floor length drapes and pulled them back, allowing the morning sunshine to flood into the room.

Hisoka blinked at the sudden light and looked around the room again, this time taking in the lavish decorations and expensive furniture, even the large darkly canopied bed that he was sitting in. Over in the corner that Muraki had emerged from he noticed a familiar canvas bag.

"That's..?"

"Of course." Muraki went over to the bag, and picked it up, brought it back and deposited it on the foot of the bed. "Tsuzuki was thoughtful enough to bring your things along as well."

Hisoka began shaking his head again. "I won't…I don't believe you! This has to be some sort of trick!"

Muraki sighed heavily and went over to another door. He opened it and stepped into the room beyond. A moment later he returned carrying an aqua-green robe, which he threw across the bed.

Green eyes glared up at him with anger and mistrust.

"Put that on and come with me," Muraki demanded, then turned and strode out of the room. For several moments Hisoka stared after the man, his mouth hanging open in shock. What was going on? What type of game was Muraki playing?

Growling under his breath, Hisoka reached out and grabbed the robe, and stopped dead as something flashed on his wrist.

Raising his arm he studied the silver cuff that encircled his wrist, loose enough that he could slide a finger underneath it, but there was no chance that he was going to be able to slide it off. He tried anyway for a few fruitless minutes before giving up, his wrist aching from the tugging. Looking closely he could see no seam or hinge in the flawless metal.

Hisoka threw himself out of the bed and thrust his arms through the arms of the robe even as he strode out of the room, rigid with fury and resentment.

Muraki was waiting for him in the hallway. "This way," He directed as he turned and headed down a flight of stairs.

"Wait!"

Muraki paused, descending the third step, and looked back, raising an eyebrow in question.

"What's this?" Hisoka demanded, holding out his arm to display the silver bracelet.

Muraki smiled slightly. "That little bauble was created keep you in your delightful physical form. I'm afraid you'll find yourself unable to teleport while it's on." Ignoring the anger that flashed through the green eyes, Muraki continued down the stairs. "Come along bouya."

Reluctantly, Hisoka followed him. He needed answers, and the demented doctor in white was the only one who had them.

The room that Muraki led him to turned out to be a fair sized study; there were bookshelves lined up against two walls and a large desk that held a computer and several open files.

Muraki went straight to the desk and moved the mouse, bringing the computer screen to life. Taking a seat at the desk he began typing. After a few minutes, he leaned back in his seat and gestured for Hisoka to join him.

"Here we are, come and see for yourself."

Hisoka warily circled the desk, keeping his distance from the doctor. The computer screen showed the black and white image of the inside of a darkened room lined with beds. Each bed had a child sleeping in it. Almost out of sight Muraki himself could be seen sitting by the bed of a young girl. There was a time and date line at the bottom of the screen that showed this to be footage from the two nights ago.

"I was covering for the paediatric nurse while she took a break." Muraki explained watching the other's face closely.

As Hisoka watched, Muraki stood up from his place beside the bed and moved to the center of the aisle between the beds, and another figure came into view.

Even in black and white with his back to the camera, Hisoka could recognize Tsuzuki, and he recognized the unconscious form he held in his arms.

Hisoka felt a band of dread tighten around his heart as he watched Tsuzuki approach Muraki. The two seemed to talk for a few minutes, then Tsuzuki all but dropped him into Muraki's arms.

And something inside him cracked as he watched the image of Tsuzuki walking away without looking back.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Tsuzuki followed his younger partner into Tatsumi's office only a few minutes late. They would have been later, but Hisoka had threatened his super-secret stash of sweets._

_Hisoka took one of the seats in front of the secretary's desk; Tsuzuki ignored the other one in favour of leaning against the back of Hisoka's chair. The blonde sent him an irritated glance, but Tsuzuki just grinned cheekily._

_Tatsumi cleared his throat, drawing the two shinigami's attention to him. "Tsuzuki, Kurosaki, We need the two of you to go to Kumamoto. It appears there has been a rash of children dying before their time."_

_Tatsumi's posture was slightly tense and he saw that his words had brought a more serious demeanour over his subordinates. "We can't have any more of these deaths occurring." He handed a folder over to Hisoka, who opened it. There were pictures of four children inside, between the ages of five and eight._

_Tsuzuki looked over Hisoka's shoulder and blanched at the young faces of children whose lives had been cut short._

"_So far all the deaths have occurred in the same manner, with the children dying in their sleep. All at the same hospital, but we have been unable to disconcert the cause. The two of you are to investigate and put a stop to it." Tatsumi adjusted his glasses. "If you need back-up, contact division and either Watari or I will come to assist you. I expect daily reports, and Tsuzuki…"_

_Tatsumi leaned forward, sapphire eyes capturing amethyst. "Don't overspend."_

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hisoka sat on the edge of the bed that he had awoken in. Muraki had shown him back to the room and left him there. He felt numb, as if the world was passing three times faster than he was capable of keeping up with.

For the longest time he just sat there, not seeing, not hearing, and not comprehending. Just existing…

Finally the door opened, drawing him back to awareness as Muraki stood in the doorway looking at him. "It's time for dinner bouya, are you coming to eat?"

Dinner? What happened to lunch? Turning to the window Hisoka could see the evening shadows beginning to settle over the land. Finally he turned back to Muraki and asked the one question that was plaguing him more than anything else.

"Why?"

"Because you must be hungry by now; you haven't eaten in a few days."

Hisoka glared.

Muraki smirked. "Why did Tsuzuki give you to me? You would have to ask him. As to why you are here…" Muraki moved until he was standing directly in front of Hisoka. He reached out and lifted the youth's chin until their eyes met, amused at how the boy flinched when he touched him. "I couldn't let my favourite toy be thrown away."


	3. Chapter 3

I have finally made the corrections to this chapter, sent to me by the intelligent, (and hopefully patient) TrisakAminawn. Trisak, some of the points you brought up are addressed farther in the story, a few others just left me a little stymied, but I will do my best...

**Chapter 2**

Muraki sat across the table from the silent youth, watching as he moved food around on his otherwise untouched plate. Occasionally Hisoka would look up, his green eyes meeting Muraki's steadily, devoid of expression.

Muraki let a small smile turn up the corners of his mouth. It appeared his doll was maturing; he was more in control of himself and more adept at concealing his own emotions. Muraki was surprised to find himself feeling somewhat gratified to learn that the boy was revealing himself to be almost worthy of his attentions after all.

But that was something he could ponder later.

"Eat up bouya, we'll be leaving soon."

Hisoka looked up suspiciously. "Leaving?"

Muraki set down his wine glass. "Yes. I've made arrangements for you to stay with a friend of mine. I somehow don't believe you'd be too comfortable here."

Hisoka raised a dubious brow. "And since when have you ever been concerned for my comfort?"

"Well, if you would prefer to stay here," Muraki began, his gaze travelling over the youth, "I would be happy to accommodate you, of course." He didn't miss the tell-tale shudder that passed through the slender frame. "I simply thought…"

"I'm sure whatever arrangements you've made will be fine," Hisoka interrupted his voice calm. His gaze drifted to the band of silver around his wrist. "If it wasn't for this," He said, fingering the metal. "It wouldn't be necessary."

"You think I put that on you?" Muraki smiled. "Rest assured I did not."

Hisoka looked up in surprise.

"If you watch the footage from the surveillance cameras again, and look closely, you'll see that little bauble was in place when Tsuzuki delivered you to me."

--

"_Hisooooookaaaaaaa…"_

"_I swear Tsuzuki, if you're trying to get my attention to show me a cake, candy, pie or cookie, you're a dead man!"_

"_Umm, okay, never mind then!"_

_Hisoka sighed and continued down the street, hefting his backpack a little higher on his back. Tsuzuki followed behind, pausing regularly to peek in shop windows._

"_This is the place," Hisoka said, coming to a sudden stop._

_Tsuzuki looked up at a fairly nice looking hotel. "Wow, Tatsumi must have been in a good mood."_

"_Come on, let's get our things to our room and get going."_

_--_

"They're here!"

Ukyou rose from her seat as she heard the sound of an engine stop outside the house. Hurrying over to the window she drew back the curtains far enough to see the familiar car sitting in the driveway.

With a warm smile she watched the tall figure in white emerge from the driver's side and circle the car. He stopped and pulled open the passenger door, and Ukyou leaned forward in curiosity, waiting for her first glimpse of the boy who was to be her house guest for an indeterminate period.

She watched as he climbed out of the car, shot his benefactor a glare and moved away from the other man. Slight, barely reaching Kazutaka's shoulder, with fine dark blonde hair falling forward to obscure his eyes, he looked sweet, and so young! Her smile softened into something almost maternal before it faded away. How dare his family throw out such a lovely child?

But she would take him in. Ukyou's smile remerged. Kazutaka was right, it wouldn't be proper for a doctor living alone to take in a young boy, and Ukyou's heart had gone out to the child as soon as Kazutaka had told her how his family had rejected him. Kazutaka had told her that the child was angry and could be hard to deal with, but she was sure she would win him over. She would be kind and understanding, and she would help him through this hard time.

--

"_Hisoka! Can I keep her?"_

_Hisoka looked up to Tsuzuki in full puppy mode, tail wagging happily, his arms wrapped around a little girl around four years old. The girl seemed unperturbed by the man's antics. In fact, she was returning the enthusiastic glomping, and giggling. Hisoka shot his partner a look that was partly exasperated, partly amused._

"_No Tsuzuki, you can't keep her."_

"_Awwww, but 'Soka…"_

_Hisoka sighed and shook his head, continuing through the ward, stopping to talk to the other children along the way._

"_Excuse me?" The voice of the nurse drew everyone's attention to the front of the room. "May I speak to you for a minute?" She inclined her head towards Tsuzuki._

_Tsuzuki nodded and disentangled himself from the girl, and giving Hisoka a look to let him know he'd be right back, Tsuzuki followed the nurse out into the hallway._

"_Manika-san?" The nurse called to a passing volunteer, "Would you please?"_

_The girl nodded and went into the paediatric ward._

"_I'm sorry, we don't leave the ward unsupervised since the unexplained deaths began. There is always a member of the personnel in the ward at all times." The nurse gestured Tsuzuki to a group of chairs just across from the nurses' station. "I'm glad that there are social programs in place to investigate the problems we've been having," She began, "But your partner seems a bit young to be an investigator."_

_Tsuzuki gave the woman a warm smile. "He's not as young as he looks, but in cases like these that involve small children, we sometimes bring in junior associates. We find that sometimes children relate better to someone closer to their age."_

_The nurse raised a brow. "Really?"_

"_Um hum, I get along with children, but I am still an adult in their eyes. With Hisoka, that line is a little more blurred and sometimes kids will confide in him things that they wouldn't tell an 'adult'."_

_She nodded in understanding. "That's very forward thinking."_

_Tsuzuki let out a small chuckle. "I'll be sure to tell my superiors you think so," he said, making a mental note to tell Hisoka that his excuse to explain his apparent youth had been bought hook, line and sinker._

_The nurse nodded again. "I hope the two of you will be able to help us. It's most distressing how many children have passed away recently. Our numbers have never been this high before, and we haven't been able to determine a cause. No one really believes that is coincidence, but we have no idea how to stop it. The thought of losing any more children to this…" she moved her hands in agitation as she failed to find a word to describe the situation. "…is horrifying at the very least."_

_Tsuzuki placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently in sympathy and understanding. "Believe me, we will do whatever we can to find out what's been causing the unexplained deaths, and put a stop to it."_

_--_

Hisoka dropped his bag onto the floor beside the bed and sat down on the cheerfully coloured comforter. He was more than a little bemused at his situation.

He'd had serious misgivings as to who the 'friend' Muraki had arranged for him to stay with would be, but he was not expecting anything like the petit young woman who had opened the door. Slender, finely boned, with long dark chestnut hair that hung down to her waist; she had a tiny bow mouth and wide, merry amber eyes that reminded him of Watari. Hisoka had almost collapsed in shock when the woman threw her arms around his killer, radiating joy and love. He had been even more shocked when Muraki had returned her embrace before turning to do the introductions.

Ukyou-san was not what he had expected. She had smiled and welcomed him with genuine warmth. He could feel sincerity and a slight sympathy from her when she spoke to him, and in any other circumstances, he thought he might have been pleased to meet her. How any such person could possibly fall in love with someone like Muraki…


	4. Chapter 4

I give up. I am giving up on reasonability (is that really even a word?), believability, plot, rationality and numerous other things. It was just getting too complicated. So, I am returning to my original formula for writing fanfics… I'm gonna have fun.

Hopefully this will mean plot hole that are a mile wide, a decent story in spite of that, slightly quicker updates, and someday in the future, an ending. (Preferably a happy one!)

**Chapter 3**

"_So what do you think is causing the unexplained deaths?" Tsuzuki asked on their way back to the hotel._

_Hisoka frowned, not breaking stride. "I have no idea; it has to be something to do with the hospital; aside from their ages, that's the only thing they had in common. But they all had different reasons for being in in the hospital." He sighed heavily. "One of the kids that died was admitted for a broken leg! There's no way it could have been a natural death!'_

_Tsuzuki nodded seriously. "What do the other kids have to say?"_

_Hisoka shook his head. "They haven't seen anything that's worried or scared them. They're afraid because of the recent deaths, of course, but nothing more specific than that."_

"_Did you sense anything in the ward that would suggest demonic or spiritual interference?"_

_Hisoka shook his head again. "No, but that doesn't necessarily rule anything out if it was something good at shielding or able to cover its presence._

"_So we keep looking for a common link and we stake out the ward."_

"_Right, today we can question the families…"_

_Tsuzuki blanched._

"_Believe me, I don't like it either, but it has to be done. Tomorrow we can figure out how best to keep the ward under surveillance._

"_O…" Tsuzuki stopped as he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He halted in front of a large store window and began to root through his pocket._

"_Tsuzuki?"_

_Pulling out the offending device he held it up, displaying it. "Phone." Flipping it open he put it to his ear. "Moshi moshi!"_

_Hisoka rolled his eyes and continued down the sidewalk, albeit at a slower pace._

_Tsuzuki grinned at his reflection in the storefront window; and watched the grin die as the caller spoke._

"_Good afternoon Tsuzuki-san."_

"_Muraki!" Tsuzuki hissed out the name. "How did you get this number?"_

_There was a chuckle through the phone. "I have my ways."_

"_What do you want? Wait! Are you involved in this case?"_

"_And which case would that be Tsuzuki-san?"_

_The children dying at …. Hospital! It was you, wasn't it?" Tsuzuki stood stock still, his eyes still locked on his reflection in the glass, the phone clutched tightly in his hand._

"_Tsuzuki-san, I'm injured that you would think such a thing of me."_

"_Muraki!"_

"_Well, perhaps I did have a roll in those deaths…"_

"_Bastard!"_

"_As for what I want…"_

_Tsuzuki drew a deep breath to tell Muraki what he thought of him._

"_I want my doll back."_

_The air left Tsuzuki's lungs in a rush. "What!?" He strangled._

"_My doll. You have him; I want you to return him to me, tonight."_

"_You're crazy! There's no way I'd ever hand Hisoka over to you!"_

"_Oh no?" Muraki's voice had become soft and silky. "I think you will. Those children you are so concerned for? Each of them had ingested a quantity of extremely concentrated poison. I'm afraid all of them will be dead by morning unless I get what I want._

"_No…" His eyes had widened and fearful violet met fearful violet in the glass._

"_If I get what I want, I will save them."_

"_Muraki…" Tsuzuki tried to make the word a threat, but the waver in his voice betrayed him._

"_But if I don't get exactly what I want, and I mean exactly, all of them will die. And the bouya will know; he will know that each and every one of them died for his sake._ _I'll make sure every time he closes his eyes he sees them, their anguish, their pain, their deaths, and he will know it is because of him, because of **you**!"_

_Tsuzuki stared at the figure in the glass staring back at him; he hated those eyes, that colour, that wavering, that hurt indecision._

"_Don't think for a moment I can't make it happen."_

"_No." Even to his ears it sounded less like a denial than a plea for mercy. "No, I can't…"_

"_There is a bottle waiting for you at the front desk in the lobby of your hotel. It's a powerful sedative, enough to make the bouya sleep for at least a full day should he ingest it."_

"_I won't…"_

"_There is also a silver band that you will place on his left wrist before you bring him to me."_

"_Tsuzuki?" _

_Tsuzuki turned away from his reflection in the glass to see that Hisoka had turned to see what was keeping him. _

"_You have until midnight to make up your mind." The phone fell silent._

"_Who is it?" Hisoka asked gesturing to the phone._

"_No one," Tsuzuki said forcing a smile to his face. "No one important."_

**XXX**

Hisoka yawned and stretched and blinked his eyes open. His vision was full of morning sunlight reflecting off a mirror above the dresser opposite the bed, and he immediately closed his eyes and rolled to the side.

A bit more cautiously, Hisoka opened his eyes again and looked around the room. A dresser, a closet, a door leading to a small bathroom stood ajar. A print of wild orchards that graced the wall beside the dresser seemed to be the only frivolity in the room. The room was comfortable, but not extravagant like the room he had awoken in the previous morning.

Come to think of it, the lack of company in this room was a relief as well.

Hisoka swung his legs over the side of the bed and cursed softly as his foot come down on his bag. He had forgotten that he had tossed it beside the bed the previous evening. Picking it up from the floor, he placed on the bed beside him and began to root through it. After several fruitless minutes he cursed again, pushing the bag away in disgust.

"Bastard took my phone!"

**XXX**

_Tsuzuki saw the odd look Hisoka shot him as he headed off across the lobby. _

"_Tsuzuki?"_

"_S'okay," Tsuzuki tried to grin reassuringly. "I'm just going to check for messages at the desk."_

_Hisoka frowned, but nodded slowly. "I'll meet you back at the room then."_

"_I'll only be a few moments." Tsuzuki hurried to the front desk as Hisoka disappeared from sight. "Is there anything for me?" he asked the young lady on duty._

"_Name?" she asked, smiling at him._

"_Takita," Tsuzuki said, providing her with the alias he'd checked in with._

_The young lady checked behind the desk. "Oh, yes, there's a package here for you." She pulled out a small white box, which she placed on the desk beside a piece of paper. "If you would just sign here…"_

_Tsuzuki signed the paper and took the box, resisting the urge to toss in the nearest trash can. First, he decided, he would let Watari go through the contents; then he would toss them the heck out! With that thought in his head, Tsuzuki headed towards the bank of payphones on the other side of the lobby. Just as he reached them, one started to ring, and before he'd thought through the action carefully, he picked up the receiver._

"_What do you think you're doing Tsuzuki?"_

_Tsuzuki hissed low, under his breath._

"_Now really, you don't honestly think I wouldn't be keeping close tabs on you, do you?"_

"_Damn it Muraki!"_

"_Come now Tsuzuki, your friends can't help you now, there's not enough time. Even if they could save the children, which they can't, they would never be able to save the bouya from my wrath. But if you give me what I want, the children will be fine, and the bouya will be fine; possibly angry, but fine. And you will be free to return to Meifu, your assignment successfully completed, as no more children will die of anything other than natural causes."_

"_I can't!" Tsuzuki said hoarsely. I can't hand Hisoka over to you."_

"_You'd be surprised what you can do if you have to." Muraki told him. "You so much as touch a phone before this deal is completed and the children will die, and the bouya will wish he had too."_

**XXX**

Washed and dressed, Hisoka made out of the bedroom and headed towards the stairs that lead to the first level. The sound and smell of frying eggs told him that his hostess was already up and about.

She turned to give him a wide smile as he found his way into the kitchen. "Have a seat," she invited, nodding towards an island with high stools placed around it. "Breakfast will just be a few minutes."

Hisoka gingerly perched on one of the stools and watched as she flipped eggs, and cut fresh fruit for the morning repast. "Can I ask you something?" he asked, nerving himself.

"Of course," Ukyou said, glancing over her shoulder.

"How do you know Muraki?"

Ukyou frowned slightly and Hisoka could feel her mild disapproval at the lack of an honorific.

"We went to school together. I think I was maybe seven or eight years old when I met him, but I don't really remember a time when I didn't know him."

"And you…" Hisoka trailed off, not wanting to say the word.

"Love him? Yes, is that surprising?"

"Frankly, yes! Do you know what the man is?"

"Kazutaka is the man who has taken care of me all my life. He bought me this house, he pays my bills, he saved my life and if it weren't for him I would be dead or permanently institutionalized."

"What?" Hisoka asked, blinking in surprise.

"I have a genetic anomaly. It manifested when I was a teenager." Ukyou filled the plates and brought them over to the table. "I'm susceptible to any viral or bacterial stimulus. Even a cold can be fatal."

"Then how have you managed to stay alive this long?" Hisoka asked as he picked up his chopsticks.

"This house is a controlled environment. No one enters that has not been checked by Kazutaka. My groceries are delivered and everything I could need is brought to me." Ukyou paused to take a bite. "Except company, Kazutaka is a very busy man, and even though I know he loves me, he can't spend as much time with me as I would like, and it gets lonely." She reached out and grasped Hisoka's hand, giving him a warm smile. "I'm so glad you're here Hisoka-kun, it'll be nice to have someone to talk to for a while.

But while you're here, there are a few things we'll have to clear up, like schooling. Kazutaka said you were home schooled, right?"

Hisoka started at her blankly for a few moments before nodding slowly. The lie seemed reasonable, and it wasn't as if he could go and enroll in the nearest high school, even if he wanted to. In fact, it might be better to expound on the falsehood. "I've already taken high school equivalency tests."

Ukyou nodded. "Good, then that's one thing we don't have to worry about." She began to clear the plates off the table, rinsing them and placing them in an under the counter dishwasher. "I have a den down that way…" She gestured down the hall leading away from the kitchen. "…that I have pretty much turned into a library." She laughed lightly. "A little one anyways. There's a TV and DVD's in the living room that you saw as you came in…"

Hisoka nodded, though in truth he hadn't seen much of anything the night before, to bewildered from the events of the day to take in anything, least of all the passing surroundings.

"My room is off limits of course, but you can feel free to wander the rest of the house, and as long as you clean up after yourself, I'll stay out of your room as well." She gave him another warm smile and closed the dishwasher with a thunk. "After all, everyone needs their private space."

Hisoka nodded again, not really caring. As so as he got the opportunity, he was leaving this place.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 4**

_Tsuzuki walked into the hotel room, box in hand. He placed it on a little bedside table and glared at it. Lifting the lid, he peeked inside; there was a small brown bottle and something silver. He pulled out the bottle, letting the lid of the box fall back into place. The bottle was about the size of an aspirin container, made of translucent brown plastic, and inside he could see an unidentified liquid splashing around._

"_Tsuzuki?"_

_He put the bottle down on the table beside the box and looked up to see Hisoka standing in the doorway to the bathroom._

"_Tsuzuki? What's wrong?"_

"_Sorry," Tsuzuki mumbled and tried to make his mental shields a little stronger._

"_Stop that," Hisoka demanded. "Your shields are fine; I don't need to be an empath to see the look on your face, now spill!"_

_Tsuzuki sat heavily on the edge of the bed and let his head fall into his hands. "I don't know what to do!"_

"_About what?"_

"_Muraki." He looked up as he heard Hisoka's indrawn hiss of breath._

"_And how does Muraki come into the picture?" Hisoka asked carefully._

"_Muraki's behind this, all of this, the children, the deaths… Everything."_

_Hisoka closed his eyes for a moment trying to compose himself. "How do you know this?" He asked tightly_

"_He contacted me," Tsuzuki told him bleakly, slumping._

_Hisoka's eyes shot open. "What the Hell does that man want?" The words came out in a near hiss._

_Tsuzuki slumped farther down on the bed. "You. He wants you," he whispered._

"_What?!" Hisoka demanded incredulously._

_Tsuzuki nodded. "I'm supposed to give you that…" he pointed at the bottle, "…and put that on you…" he pointed at the box, "…and deliver you to Muraki."_

_Hisoka moved over to the table and picking up the small bottle, held it to the light. Putting it down, he gingerly opened up the box, and after peeking inside, turned the contents out onto his palm. Two silver half circles flashed under the lamp light._

"_What are these?" Hisoka asked, holding them out for Tsuzuki to look at._

"_I'm supposed to put them on you left wrist, so maybe… a bracelet?"_

"_What does it do?"_

"_I have no idea."_

_Tsuzuki watched as Hisoka took a few deep breaths._

_Calmer, Hisoka picked up the bottle again. "So what happens if I drink this?"_

_Tsuzuki lowered his head. "You go to sleep; Muraki said it was a sedative. You become Muraki's prisoner, and he lets the kids live."_

"_And if I don't?"_

"_They all die tonight, and… and…"_

"_What about calling for backup?" Hisoka interrupted before Tsuzuki could elaborate the 'and'_

"_I tried," Tusuzki told him bleakly. "He's watching us, closely"_

"_Are you sure?"_

_Tsuzuki's hand twitched towards his pocket where his cell phone was, but he stopped himself and shook his head remembering the words that Muraki had said earlier. "He said if I so much as touched a phone the deal was off."_

_Hisoka snorted. "Well, he never said anything to me!" He walked across the room and retrieved his phone from his bag and flipped it open. He pressed a button, then frowned._

"_What is it?" Tsuzuki asked._

"_No signal." Hisoka closed the phone and stuck it back in his bag, cursing under his breath. He moved to the hotel phone and picked it up and held it to his ear, then slammed it back into the cradle. "Dead. Tsuzuki, what if we just go back to Meifu and get help?"_

"_You don't think he'd notice if we left?"_

_Hisoka growled with frustration. "Of course he would, the bastard!"_

_A humourless smile touched Tsuzuki's lips._

"_When is Muraki planning to kill the kids?" Hisoka asked._

"_He said I had 'til midnight to make up my mind." _

_Tsuzuki watched as his younger partner paced back and forth across the room, muttering to himself. The only things Tsuzuki could make out of the quiet monologue were; 'what does he want' and 'not enough time'. Growing more and more concerned, Tsuzuki jumped to his feet and caught Hisoka by the shoulder, halting him mid-stride. "There's no way I'm handing you over to him!"_

_Hisoka shook his head, still seeming distracted, lost in thought. "I'm not sure I can see a way around it, we have to stop the deaths, and we can't allow any more children to die."_

"_There has got to be another way!" Tsuzuki said, his voice rising in agitation._

"_Name one!" Hisoka demanded, his voice rising to match Tsuzuki's. "'Cause I can't see any! There's not enough time to figure out what he's up to, or how to stop him, other than to give him what he wants!"_

"_No!" Tsuzuki growled._

"_What are the alternatives?" Hisoka asked, lowering his voice, hoping to calm himself and his partner. "We let a couple dozen kids die to keep me safe? I couldn't live with that, and neither could you if the situations were reversed, so we do what he wants."_

_Tusuzki shook his head in mute despair._

"_For now." Hisoka place a hand on Tsuzuki's arm. "Only for now, when the kids are safe we'll find a way out or around this." He squeezed gently. "We'll find a way to beat Muraki."_

**XXX**

Hisoka looked up from the book he had been reading, something wasn't right.

He was curled up in a large overstuffed chair in Ukyou's den, passing time until nightfall; he believed he'd have an easier time leaving after Ukyou went to sleep.

But something wasn't right… He felt, it took him several long moments before he could identify the emotion, lonely.

It was something he was so used to feeling though out his childhood, and it had crept up on him so subtly, the empty, hollow loneliness that used to be his constant companion. He felt…

"Hisoka-kun?"

He felt?

"I'm in here Ukyou-san," he called out softly, and the loneliness eased slightly as she stopped in the open doorway.

"I was going to make some sandwiches, can I get you anything?"

Hisoka sensed that she wanted his company, but was afraid to ask. In a way, this house was as much a prison for her as his parents' cellar had been for him.

She was smiling hopefully at him, waiting for his answer.

Hisoka laid his book aside and got to his feet. "That sounds good, I'll help." The hollow emptiness eased a bit more.

But he was still lonely.

Or she was.

Or they both were.

**XXX**

_Tsuzuki stood outside the threshold of the children's ward. Hisoka laying limp in his arms, breathing steadily, both of them invisible to mortal eyes._

_He couldn't do it._

_Watching Hisoka place the two silver half circles around his own wrist, watching them fuse into a solid, seamless ring around that wrist had been something out of his nightmares. Watching Hisoka down the contents of the small brown bottle, and immediately collapsing in a heap on the floor had been a new kind of torture._

_He had almost turned back so many times on the short walk from the hotel to the hospital, only knowing Hisoka would be angry if he failed kept him moving forward., The thought of the guilt Hisoka would feel, the same he lived through everyday. He had the blood of hundreds on his hand, people died because of him, he couldn't, wouldn't allow Hisoka to suffer the same._

_So he was condemning Hisoka to a different kind of suffering._

_He couldn't do it._

_He couldn't deliver this most precious person into Muraki's murderous hands._

_He looked through the glass in the door, into the ward. A row of beds lined each wall, each one held a sleeping child. He knew their names, their faces. He and Hisoka had spent the better part of the day here, talking, teasing, laughing…_

_He couldn't not do it._

_Taking a deep breath and gritting his teeth, Tsuzuki carried Hisoka into the ward._


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 5**

_Tsuzuki kept his eyes locked on Muraki as he slowly walked the length of the children's ward. The slight smile that turned up the man's pale lips infuriated him. He wanted nothing more than to turn around and walk away._

_But there was so much at stake…_

_Muraki glanced down at his watch as Tsuzuki stopped in front of him. "Just in time Tsuzuki-san, I will need time to administer the antidote to the children if they are to survive the night."_

_Tsuzuki glared at the doctor. "I told him," he said tightly. "I told Hisoka everything. Whatever you're planning you won't get away with it!"_

_Muraki's expression turned smug. "The bouya ingested a sedative that is strong enough to keep him asleep for a full day, do you really think that was necessary for an exchange that will take about twenty minutes? I would be surprised if he can remember what he had for lunch yesterday, let alone what the two of you talked about before he took it. He will, no doubt, believe you betrayed him."_

"_Why are you doing this?" Tsuzuki hissed._

_He nearly flinched back from the anger in Muraki's eyes; it matched his own, but was tinged with madness. "In Kyoto, Tsuzuki-san, you destroyed the one person who gave my life meaning. My goals, my purpose." He glanced at Hisoka in Tsuzuki's arms. "So I will take yours in payment. An eye for an eye Tsuzuki-san, now give him to me!"_

_He couldn't do it._

_He glanced aside and saw the girl sleeping peacefully in her bed._

_He couldn't not do it._

_Hardening his resolve he all but dropped Hisoka into Muraki's arms and quickly strode out of the ward, fists clenched, vision blurred._

_He couldn't look back._

**XXX**

The sun was sinking low on the horizon when Hisoka said goodnight to Ukyou and retreated to his room. Taking a book with him from the den, he settled in his bed, propped up against the headboard and opened the book to the page where he'd left off.

He had read almost two full chapters before he heard soft footsteps in the hallway outside his room. Quietly laying the book aside, he switched off the bedside lamp and threw the covers over himself, only just closing his eyes as the door was inched open. He could feel a gentle contentment settle over her as she peeked in at him, a slight affection, and the ever-present loneliness.

"Goodnight Hisoka-kun," she whispered softly, before pulling the door shut and continuing down the hallway.

A moment later he heard the click of another door closing. Waiting patently he counted his heartbeats. When he reached two thousand he pulled back the covers and crept out of bed. Silently he crossed the room and eased the door open. He paused outside Ukyou's door and placed his hand on the smooth wood. Her emotions were subdued, she was asleep. She must have been dreaming though, her emotions were pleasant, but tinged with sadness, and for a brief moment, Hisoka had a strong urge to go in and ask her what was wrong, why she was sad.

He bit back the urge and turned his attention to his escape. Cat quick, he reached the top of the stairs and headed down, freezing with his heart in his throat when one stair creaked under his weight. There was a stirring from Ukyou's room, but it quieted as she settled back into sleep.

With no more noise than a thought, he made it to the front door, and disengaging the lock, slipped out into the deepening twilight.

**XXX**

_Tatsumi looked up as Tsuzuki walked into the office, alone. This was a rare occurrence since Kyoto, made even more out of place by the fact that the Kyushu pair were suppose to be out on assignment._

"_Tsuzuki?" Tatsumi questioned, only to flinch as the man turned misery filled eyes towards him. Without another word, Tatsumi reached out and took a hold of Tsuzuki's arm, drawing him firmly into his office and closing the door behind them._

"_Tell me."_

_And he did. Slowly, with halting words, tides of guilt and tears, Tsuzuki told his oldest friend everything._

"_He's going to hate me." Tsuzuki finished his voice empty._

"_I doubt Kurosaki-kun will hate you Tsuzuki. When the situation is explained to him, I'm sure…"_

"_I betrayed him Tatsumi!" Tsuzuki interrupted, despair and guilt echoing in his words. "Don't you understand? I betrayed him in the worst possible way! I handed him over to the man who raped and…" He clapped his hands over his mouth, eyes wide in horror at what he had inadvertently allowed to escape._

_For a moment Tatsumi stared at him, his own eyes wide, mouth agape. "He what?!" Tatsumi swallowed heavily. "Did Hisoka tell you that?"_

_Tsuzuki shook his head, his hands still covering his mouth._

"_Then how…"_

"_Muraki told me," Tsuzuki told him in a near whisper. "When we were in Nagasaki. He boasted about it, but even if he hadn't, I've shared a room with Hisoka often enough. I hear what he says in his sleep; and I've seen his nightmares. I'd know."_

**XXX**

It was nearly full dark when Hisoka found what he was looking for. On a pole, with two thin metal screens on either side to offer minimal privacy, was a phone.

With a brief prayer of thanks to whatever deities cared to listen, Hisoka grabbed up the receiver and dialled a number from memory. He tapped his foot impatiently as it rang. "C'mon, pick up!"

"Tsuzuki desu."

"Tsuzuki!"

There was a clatter from the other end of the line, then silence.

"Tsuzuki?"

Hisoka heard a click, and then the dial tone sounded in his ear.

_Tsuzuki hung up on me!_

Running his hand through his hair in frustration, he dropped the phone back into the cradle and picked it up again. He could feel the presence of other people approaching and he moved in closer to the pole, unconsciously seeking to avoid notice.

Quickly he dialled another number, holding his breath and counting the rings. One… Two…

"Tatsumi desu."

Hisoka closed his eyes and let his head fall forward against one of the metal screens. "Tatsumi…"

"Kurosaki-kun, is that you? Where are you?"

"I'm…" The phone jerked out of Hisoka's hand and he whirled to see a tall skinny man with greasy black hair holding the phone cord doubled up in one hand, a knife in the other.

"Well, look what has wandered into our territory!" The man drawled out as he severed the phone cord with one deft move. "A pretty little boy's come to play with us!" He gestured to Hisoka with the knife. "What do you think guys?"

With growing dread Hisoka watched three more men approached out of the shadows, chuckling darkly. Surrounding him, they effectively cut off any chance he had of running. Hisoka looked down at his wrist angrily; at the strip of silver that kept him from simply teleporting out of there or slipping into spirit form.

The first hand reaching out to touch him drew his attention back to his harassers, and he swiped out at the offending hand, backing into the pole. "Don't touch me!"

His growled threat drew mocking laughter from all four men.

"Oh yeah, we'll touch you alright!"

Two of the men reached out and grabbed him, the first catching a hold of his shirt, the other man fisting a handful of his hair. A burst of psychic energy pushed them back sporting minor wounds.

"So the little boy likes to play rough. Get him!"

All four men moved in on him at the same time. Hisoka managed to duck the first blow, but the second caught him high on the cheek bone and he saw stars. The third blow knocked him to the ground where the men could kick at him.

Hands grabbed at him, alternately dragging, pushing and pulling him into the dark narrow space between two tall buildings.

Hisoka fought and yelled until a stinging slap landed across his mouth and one hand closed around his throat, cutting off his voice. He gasped silently at the invasive emotions coming from all four men, anger, excitement, lust…

Hand ripped at his shirt, damaging the material as it was pulled off him, hands pulled at the waistband of his jeans. Hand travelled roughly over his bared skin touching him intimately…

Hands touching him…

Hands restraining him…

Hands hurting him…

Hisoka's teeth were clenched and tears streamed from his eyes from the thought of what they were going to do, his struggles weakening as he sank farther into their depravity and perversion. _Oh god, help me! Someone help me, please!_

A flash of white dazzled his senses and suddenly the hands were gone. Hisoka felt his skin tingle in reaction to a pulse of magic that pushed his abusers away from him. There was yelling and the sound of running feet and he felt himself being lifted high into the air. Dizzy and confused, Hisoka blinked, trying to regain his equilibrium

A flash of blue sky, something heavy and warm being wrapped around him; and all he could see was winter white before plunging into darkness.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 6**

Kurosaki Hisoka knew there was something wrong before he even opened his eyes, but his sleep dazed mind couldn't figure out what.

Slowly, emerald green eyes blinked open to a dark room.

Déjà vu washed over him and he blinked again until the room around him came into focus. He was back at Muraki house, the same room he'd woken up in only 24 hours earlier. Cursing, he threw back the bed covers and started to climb out of the bed, only to stop dead as memories of the night before flashed across his mind. Tsuzuki's voice, the buzzing of the dial tone, Tatsumi, the four strange men, hands, lust, white and darkness.

Hisoka pressed his face into his hands, breathing heavily.

A long moment longer, more composed, Hisoka got to his feet, shuddering at the feel of silk sliding across his skin. He looked down to find himself wrapped in a thin, aqua green yutaka. A feeling of vulnerability swept over him and he scanned the room almost desperately, relieved to see his clothes draped across the back of a chair.

Dressed in his jeans and a sweater that he did not recognize, feeling less exposed, Hisoka slipped silently out of the room.

Pausing at the head of the stairs, he reached out with his senses, but could not find the slightest hint of life. He crept silently the stairs, careful inspite of the apparent emptiness of the house.

He reached the front door and took hold of the knob.

"_Well, look at what has come into our territory… A pretty little boy's come to play with us."_

"It won't be like that!" Hisoka hissed to himself through gritted teeth as his hand tightened convulsively on the door knob.

_Lust, anger, sick desire… Hands… "Yeah, we'll touch you alright…"_

Hisoka turned and ran for the bathroom as his stomach rebelled.

**XXX**

_Tsuzuki signed his name across the bottom of the page and pushed it away. That was the last one, there was no more. He had completed every piece of backlogged paper work he had. He stood up crossed the room to a large file cabinet, carefully avoiding looking at the empty desk across from his own, and pulled down a pile of expense reports. It was mind numbing work, but it would keep him from thinking, and at the moment, that was all he wanted._

_He didn't want to think._

_He didn't want to think about what might be happening to Hisoka at this very moment._

_He didn't want to think about what Muraki had said to him in the children's ward._

_He didn't want to think about his betrayal._

_Or whether Hisoka believed it._

_That thought burned the worst. Would Hisoka believe that Tsuzuki betrayed him? How could he not? Even Tsuzuki believed it. But if Hisoka believed that Tsuzuki would turn his back on him, would it make a lie out of everything they had gone through together? Everything they had suffered, every victory, every word that had bound them together?_

_Tsuzuki threw himself back into his chair and dove into the expense reports with uncharacteristic zeal. For now he would bury himself in numbers and words until he was too tired to think, then he would go home and sleep._

_Maybe tomorrow he would be able to figure out what to do next._

_Maybe he would even find a way to get back what he had lost._

**XXX**

Muraki stood in the rolling evening fog, eyeing the dilapidated warehouse in front of him with evident distaste; both for the building itself, and the unsavoury people he knew were waiting for him within. He made a small sound of annoyance and moved into the shadows, moving unseen into the building despite the pristine white of his suit and coat.

In a dimly lit room, decorated in 'early industrial', four men converged. Using crates and large cable spools as chairs, they sat and muttered to each other, casting wary glances around themselves all the while.

Muraki felt a mild satisfaction that merely anticipating his arrival had made them apprehensive. He moved silently out of the shadows, and suppressed a grin at seeing the men's shock when they noticed his arrival.

"Muraki-sensei," Muddy-eyed, and scruffy, the tallest member of the group got to his feet and moved towards Muraki, his hand extended.

Muraki let his gaze rest impassively on the offending appendage before raising his eyes and cocking a brow in distaste.

The man hesitated, and then let his hand drop.

"Oi, Muraki-sensei!" Another man called out, drawing the doctor's attention. "You owe us some money!"

Muraki's gaze cooled as it travelled over all the men, finally coming to rest on the outspoken one. "Do I?"

"Yeah, you do," the man informed him, his aggressive tone belied by the tremor in his voice. "We did what you wanted, we kept the kid from contacting anyone, and we didn't let him get away."

A slight, humourless smile turned up the corners of Muraki's mouth. "Yes, you did fulfill the conditions of our deal." The smile fell away, and in a heartbeat Muraki had crossed the room, pinning the man to the wall, one hand tight around his throat. "But I don't recall giving you, or any of your… friends, permission to touch what is _mine._"

His eyes still locked with those of the low-class ruffian, Muraki raised his free hand and snapped his fingers. The smile reappeared on his face at the horror that spread across the man's rough features; and the sounds of screams, and roaring, and frantic flight behind him. The menacing, and slightly maniacal smile widened as blood splashed against the wall to his right, and his prisoner began to struggle under his grip and gaze.

Too soon silence fell, and Muraki could sense his summoned creatures approach. Part lion, part bird, part insectile in appearance, his demons stopped at his flanks, awaiting his orders.

"So, what do I owe you?" Muraki asked the man, who had once again fallen still under his hand, his eyes constantly flitting over Muraki's shoulders, wide with terror.

"Nothing," he gasped through his constricted windpipe. "Nothing at all, just let me go! Please let me go!"

"Let you go?" Muraki asked, "Of course."

Releasing his captive, he took a step back.

The man sagged against the wall, rubbing his throat.

Muraki took another measured step back, and still smiling, turned to leave. "You are free to go." He walked calmly out of the room as his demons started growling. "If you can…"

He closed the door behind him on the sound of screaming.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 7**

Muraki pulled his car to the side of the road only a block away from his house. He reached into an inside pocket of his long white coat and withdrew a clear plastic bottle filled with a light amber liquid.

As a young man, Muraki had poured through his grandfather's research, research on genetics, cloning, recombinate DNA, and the results of many experiments preformed upon people who displayed psychic phenomenon.

One branch of experiments in this last area had revealed that certain chemicals, even certain natural herbs were capable of heightening psychic abilities.

The drug he held in his hand was mostly harmless. If a person with little to no abilities took it, there would be little to no effect, but a person who was psychically gifted would find their gifts more sensitive, more powerful, for a period of 8 to 10 hours.

Muraki reached into a bag sitting on the passenger seat beside him and ignoring the two prepared bento boxes, pulled out the two containers of miso. Not knowing which soup Hisoka would eventually consume, he opened both, and added three drops of the amber fluid to each serving, the strong taste of the miso would mask the slightly bitter taste of the drug.

Muraki was unconcerned about taking the drug himself, he had done so before, purposefully, and knew that he would experience a heightening in his senses; a greater awareness of those around him, and finer control of any spells he chose to use under its influence. He expected the effects of the drug would be slightly different for an empath.

He had captured the prize, now he needed to make sure the prize stayed caught. He had to make sure that Tsuzuki would never be able to reclaim the person who had been his 'raison d'etre', any more than Muraki would be able to reclaim his.

He replaced the lids on the containers of miso and put them back into the bag. He was smiling to himself as he put the car into gear and drove the remaining distance to his house.

**XXX**

_Tsuzuki stood on the roof of the Ju On Cho building. A narrow rail circled the perimeter of the roof and he leaned against it, looking out over the sea of pink cherry blossoms. He had suffered his way through another torturously long day and it was time to leave. He was not looking forward to going home and spending another night staring at his ceiling, trying to keep his mind empty of all the thoughts that drove him towards misery._

_He didn't know how long he could do this, he thought as his trench coat flapped around him in the wind. He had come up to the roof to be alone. Tatsumi, Watari and the chief were shooting him worried looks when they passed him in the hallways, and he could kill a conversation just by walking into a room. The stares of his co-workers were getting to him. He felt like everyone knew what he had done, and were either judging him, or waiting for him to snap._

_Not that that was unreasonable, Tsuzuki was beginning to feel like he was going to snap. Not knowing what was happening to his partner was wearing him down with worry, guilt, and fear._

_He sighed when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Probably Tatsumi calling to check up on him; he pulled it out and answered it without bothering to check the display. "Tsuzuki desu."_

"_Tsuzuki!" Hisoka's voice sounded relieved and desperate._

_Tsuzuki felt his whole body spasm in shock, and the phone slipped out of his numbed fingers. He made a hasty grab for it, but missed, and watched in horror as the phone bounced off the rail, fell to the ground below, and shattered._

**XXX**

Hisoka leaned his head against the white porcelain of the toilet where he had collapsed after rejecting the content of his stomach. During the indeterminate period of time he had spent in that position, he had realized that he was actually _grateful_that Muraki had come to his rescue before those men had managed to carry out their intentions; and that realization had both stunned him, and unsettled his stomach for a second time.

It was too much, he didn't want to be in this place, he didn't want to feel Muraki's presence all around him, and he definitely didn't want to wait for the man's return.

With those determinations in mine, Hisoka pulled himself to his feet and staggered out of the bathroom. His gaze fell on the front door, and he felt his stomach twist painfully, remembered emotions flickering through his mind.

Gritting his teeth, Hisoka pushed those emotions away and reached out for the knob. He froze before making contact, cursing under his breath he backed away. He was too late, he could feel Muraki's approach on the other side of the door, he had missed his chance. "_Idiot!_" he hissed at himself.

**XXX**

"_Kurosaki-kun?" Tatsumi fought the urge to bang the receiver on the desk. "Kurosaki-kun?" It was no use, the line was dead. Tatsumi hung up the receiver and cursed softly under his breath. He got to his feet and hurried out of his office, only to be nearly bowled over as Tsuzuki tore down the hallway._

"_Tsuzuki!" Tatsumi caught his errant ex-partner by the back of his flapping coat before the man could rush away. "What's happening?"_

"_Hisoka called me!" Tsuzuki told him, his voice shaking, "and I dropped the damned phone! He'll never forgive me now!"_

"_When did this happen?" Tatsumi demanded._

"_Five minutes ago, ten, I don't know! I have to go!"_

_Tatsumi kept his grip on the back of Tsuzuki's coat to keep him from taking off again. "He must have called me directly after," Tatsumi mused. _

_That brought Tsuzuki up short. "He called you too?"_

_Tatsumi nodded. "Come with me." He led the way down the hallway, Tsuzuki in tow, until he reached Watari's lab. Giving the door a single brisk knock, he pushed it open and stepped inside._

_Watari looked up from his computer screen at the interruption. "Hey! Can I help you?"_

"_I just received a call in my office," Tatsumi informed him, "would you be able to trace it?"_

_Watari pushed his chair back and ran a hand through his hair. "Have any other calls come through on the line?"_

"_No."_

"_Then I should be able to do that without too much trouble, but we'd better do it quickly. Give me a minute and I'll meet you back at your office."_

_Tatsumi nodded and turned to leave._

"_By the way, who are we tracing?"_

"_Kurosaki-kun just called me," Tatsumi told him._

"_Bon?" Watari turned and whipped open a closet, he pulled out random items, ignoring those that fell to the floor. In a moment he held a black box with several wires running from it. He tucked it under his arm and hurried to the door, pushing the other two men out of the room in front of him. "What are you waiting for! Let's go!"_

_Watari tore up the hallway, Tsuzuki on his heels. After a seconds hesitation Tatsumi set aside dignity and decorum and followed at a brisk trot, even so, by the time he re-entered his own office, Watari had attached the black box to the phone and was in the process of hooking it up to the computer. Tsuzuki stood a little away from the desk, his shoulders slumped, with the unmistakable demeanour of someone waiting to be scolded. Tatsumi made his way to his side and placed his hand on Tsuzuki's shoulder. Tsuzuki flinched at the touch, his eyes darting up to meet his superiors, and then looking away._

"_Tsuzuki," Tatsumi said softly, "I doubt Kurosaki-kun would have called you if he blamed you for what happened."_

_Violet eyes flew back to him in surprise as he considered that remark. "Do you really think so?"_

"_Yes, I do," was Tatsumi's emphatic reply. "He called you first, therefore it only stands to reason that he wanted your help. He was trying to reach you. Now, what are you going to do about it?"_

_Tsuzuki blinked rapidly for a moment, then looked over where Watari was now typing away on Tatsumi's computer, his eyes glued to the screen. He looked back at Tatsumi and a tight smile turned up the corners of his mouth. "I'm going to find him."_

**XXX**

The smell of food assaulted him almost before Muraki had made it through the door, and his stomach twisted in reaction. Hisoka watched as Muraki locked the door and turned to face him, smirking. "Good evening bouya, did I interrupt something?"

He fought to keep his face expressionless and his mouth shut as Muraki doffed his coat and hung it in the closet. That accomplished, Muraki turned and gestured towards the dining room. "I've brought diner, shall we?" He waited until Hisoka proceeded him out of the entryway.

Hisoka took a seat at the dining room table and Muraki placed one of the bentos in front of him.

"I hope this will be to your liking, I didn't have a chance to ask your preferences. Eat up bouya; when you've finished I'll take you back to Ukyou's if you wish."

Surprise flickered across Hisoka's face before he schooled it back into neutrality. "And what if I escaped again?"

Muraki chuckled. "You're quite welcome to try, I'm sure there are many other miscreants out there who would love to take advantage of a prize as lovely as yourself."

Hisoka couldn't control the shudder that ran through him at the thought. Absently, he opened the bento box, his mind casing around for another subject, anything to take Muraki's mind off 'taking advantage of' anything. "About Ukyou…"

"Yes?" Muraki looked up.

"How could someone like her…"

"You mean someone so good, so wholly untouched by life?" Muraki's smirk had re-emerged.

"She loves you."

"You sound surprised. Do you think me so unlovable?" Muraki asked his amusement apparent. "Your friend tsubaki kakyon loved me."

"Hardly," Hisoka scoffed. "At the time I thought she did, but I didn't know what love was, and neither did she. She had a vision painted in her mind by her mother, a vision of a white angel who would save them. On her death bed her mother told her of that angel in white and how good he was, how perfect, and when you arrived, she attached those words to you. No matter what you did she would never have considered you anything other than that angel. She didn't love you; she loved an ideal her mother created for her."

"Perhaps," Muraki allowed, "but she was little more than a child. Ukyou is a woman, and is well aware of her own mind."

"Too bad she doesn't know yours," Hisoka said softly as he opened his soup. "You'll destroy her."

Something in Muraki's face softened slightly. "Ukyou is special. She is aware of the world, wise, but still manages to retain a certain innocence and naivety, much like our dear Tsuzuki. I would not be the one to rob her of that."

Hisoka blinked, but was unable to think of a response, so he changed the subject again. "How did you meet her?"

Muraki glanced down at Hisoka's bento. "You would like to know? Very well, you eat, and I'll tell you."

Hisoka took a spoonful of the miso soup and looked up expectantly.

"We met in grade school. Ukyou was two years younger than I was, and she soon started following me around. Oriya thought it was cute, so we tolerated it at first.

As she got older it became apparent that she was highly intelligent, and there was some discussion about her moving ahead a year or two, so I was approached to tutor her with that end in mind. During the course of her tutoring, we became friends… And possibly something more.

When my parents… died, I was out of school for some time, and Ukyou came to my house to offer her condolences. I wasn't aware of her plans, so when she arrived, she was greeted by my half-brother, Saki."

Hisoka flinched back from both the tone, and the emotional backlash that the name invoked in the doctor.

"He invited her in and offered her tea and refreshment. She accepted, of course.

I discovered later that he had been going through my grandfather's old lab. My grandfather's studies had branched out into several areas of research, and he had created several artificial viruses. One of these viruses, Saki fed to Ukyou in her tea."

"But why would he do something like that?" Hisoka asked.

Muraki smiled humourlessly. "Perhaps he was merely curious about what effect the virus would have, or perhaps he thought it would hurt me, or perhaps he was simply sadistic. I wouldn't know, nor do I care. It is enough that he did it."

Hisoka flinched at Muraki's tone and growing anger.

"Unfortunately, I had not seen any of my grandfathers research before, or I may have been able to identify what it was that Saki fed to her. I spent years pouring through everything he had written, but I was unable to find anything to help her."

"And the virus made her sick?" Hisoka asked quietly, wary of making the doctor angrier.

"The virus devastated her immune system, which is why she mush remain in a controlled environment. Even a cold can be fatal. It has affected her blood and her organs, the slightest chemical imbalance could cause disastrous results."

"You want to save her?"

"As strange as it may sound to you bouya, yes."

"Then how can you do the things you do?" Hisoka asked, his spoon paused halfway to his mouth. "How can you kill people and destroy peoples lives? What you did to me and to Tsuzuki…"

Muraki suddenly laughed softly. "Just because there is someone I want to save doesn't mean I am anything other than what I am."

**XXX**

_The street was dark and empty when Tsuzuki, Tatsumi and Watari arrived._

"_Are you sure this is the place?" Tatsumi asked, looking at the blonde scientist._

"_I'm sure," Watari confirmed. "Bon was here, see the phone?" Watari pointed, and both Tsuzuki and Tatsumi turned in the direction he indicated. _

_On a pole was a phone with a privacy screen. The cord hung down and the receiver was missing._

_They found the receiver several meters away, at the mouth of a dark ally, there were signs of a struggle and scraps of material laying on the ground. Tsuzuki felt his insides clench._

"_Tsuzuki?" Watari came up behind him, placing one hand against his back. _

"_I'm okay," Tsuzuki reassured them. He looked up and both Watari and Tatsumi felt a rush of relief. The misery that had filled those violet eyes for the last few days had faded, now they were determined._

"_Muraki had to still have him, there's no way he'd let Hisoka go that easily. I need to get back to Meifu."_


	9. Chapter 9

I know it's been a long, long, very long time since I've updated this story. I'm sorry. I've been working on other stories, and I was a little stuck on this one. But I think I finally had a brain fart last night and figured out how to fix the corner I'd written myself into!

Hopefully, this means there will be another chapter coming soon!

I made up a last name for Ukyou. I hope no one minds…

**Chapter 8**

Hisoka placed his spoon on the table. The discussion with Muraki had distracted him somewhat, but now he was beginning to sense something was off. Muraki seemed too smug, and something was odd; he ran his tongue across the roof of his mouth… odd…

"Is something wrong?" Muraki asked. "You've stopped eating."

"I'm not hungry," Hisoka told him.

The two sat in silence for several long moments as Muraki continued to eat his own dinner. Hisoka felt a currant of amusement rise up in him and fought off an urge to grin, he was sure that he had nothing to be amused about, but the feeling was there all the same. He glared across the table at Muraki, who met his eyes and smirked, the source of the amusement identified.

"May I ask you a question bouya?"

Hisoka nodded stiffly, trying to raise mental barriers just a little higher.

"Do you hate me?"

Hisoka's mouth fell open, his own shock running over the amusement. "Do I…" He quickly collected himself. "Of course I hate you, despise you, loathe you. How could I do anything else after what you did?"

"And what I did was so terrible?"

"You… you…"

"I wanted you."

"What?"

"You were there, lovely and frightened, a temptation I could not resist. I wanted you. " Muraki leaned back in his chair and the next words cut deep. "I suppose that makes me unique in your life, for who has ever wanted you?"

Hisoka stood up abruptly, unmindful of the remainder of his soup spilling across the table, and left the room; feeling Muraki's amusement mixing with his own hurt worry that Muraki was telling the truth.

**XXX**

_Tatsumi Seiichiro wandered through the hallway of Enma-Cho, peering quickly into each room as he passed. He paused for a long moment in the doorway of the office shared by Tsuzuki and Hisoka, staring hard, as if his intense regard would cause the one he sought to appear before him._

_Office hours had officially begun an hour earlier, but he had yet to see hide or hair of his violet-eyed colleague. Phoning his house hadn't produced any results either._

_Tatsumi frowned as he considered where he should look next, he had already checked all of Tsuzuki's regular haunts with no results._

"_He's in the library."_

_Tatsumi whirled to see Watari sticking his head out of the lab. "He's what?"_

"_You're looking for Tsuzuki, right? He's in the library. He's been there all night clacking away at the databases. I saw him when I went in looking for some material."_

**XXX**

Ukyou threw her arms around him as soon as he walked through the door. "I was so worried!" she whispered in his ear.

He flinched, feeling relief and disappointment welling up inside him. He recognized the feelings as not being his own, and guilt for making her worry rose up in him to tint the emotions that flooded into him from Ukyou.

"Sorry," he muttered in spite of himself. "I'm sorry."

The disappointment eased, and he felt a wave of peace and gratitude, and love. He looked up at Ukyou in wonder, and saw that she was looking over his shoulder at Muraki. Muraki was inspiring these emotions that he felt as if they were his own. He pushed away from Ukyou, trying to distance himself from those emotions, trying to disassociate himself from them… Relief, gratitude, reassurance, love, longing, confusion…

Opening his eyes wide, Hisoka looked at Ukyou. She was looking at him, and he could see the confusion there, at his actions, confusion… Then she glanced up at Muraki, at his gentle smile, his eyes warm and meeting hers, and the confusion faded further, the other emotions growing stronger.

Hisoka bolted from the room as her gaze turned back to him.

**XXX**

_The small room at the back of the library housed little more than a row of computer terminals, a few file cabinets, and one violet eyed man focused intently on the screen in front of him._

_Tatsumi stepped into the room and pulled the door shut behind him. Tsuzuki didn't seem to notice his arrival._

"_What are you looking for?" Tatsumi asked, coming up behind Tsuzuki and peering over his shoulder._

"_Anything that might help." Tsuzuki told him without looking away from the screen, his fingers clacking on the keyboard as he keyed in a new search. "I can't just go and get Hisoka, the threat he used worked to well, He'd just go back to the hospital and start killing kids again, and we'd be back where we started."_

"_So, what are your ideas?"_

_Tsuzuki snorted. "Nothing brilliant. I thought maybe I could find something he wanted more than he wanted Hisoka, or maybe blackmailing him somehow. If there was a way to threaten his power, or his job, or something like that… I've been looking for anything I could find on Muraki in our databases."_

"_Did you find anything interesting?"_

"_Lots interesting, but not much that seems to be useful. I found a lot of articles about the death of his parents and his half-brother. There was an article about his half-brothers body going missing three days after the funeral. Wanna guess who took it?"_

"_No."_

"_The Muraki family's butler was put on trial for killing Muraki's half-brother, but Muraki testified on his behalf and the man was acquitted; he's dead now."_

"_Did Muraki kill him?"_

_Tsuzuki shrugged. "No way to tell. After that Muraki was emancipated by the court."_

_Tatsumi leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. "So have you found anything that is useful?"_

"_Only this." Tsuzuki hit a button and a picture came up on the screen; three teenagers smiled out at them. The one on the left was obviously a young Muraki Kazutaka, the one on the right was also easily identifiable; Mibu Oriya. But the person in the middle was a young girl, pretty, with shining eyes and an open smile._

"_Who is that?" Tatsumi pointed at the girl in the center of the picture._

"_Well, you know who the boys are, the girl is Tamiko Ukyou. I found an engagement notice for one Tamiko Ukyou to one Muraki Kazutaka."_

"_The psychopath is engaged?" Tatsumi asked incredulously._

"_Yup." Tsuzuki confirmed. "And I think I'm going to go pay her a visit. If anyone should know how to deal with Muraki, she should."_

**XXX**

In his room, Hisoka wedged a chair against the door, and moved slowly to his bed, where he sat and dropped his head into his hands. Too many things were happening too fast, and now his empathy seem to have spiked. He was having more trouble than usual distinguishing others emotions from his own. He hadn't really recognized Muraki's amusement as being Muraki's until he had seen the doctor smirking. Ukyou's emotions had become so intense that he could still feel them across the house, her quiet pleasure in Muraki's presence. Her love for the man washed through him making his chest ache with it.

He was feeling love for Muraki, even if the emotion didn't originate with him, he still felt it!

Cursing softly under his breath, Hisoka grabbed his bag, and pulled out a pair of sweats and a tee-shirt to sleep in, changing quickly, Hisoka crawled into bed and wrapped the blankets around himself. He wanted nothing more than to go to sleep and not feel anything for a while.

Hopefully a long while.

Hisoka tensed as the sound of footsteps passed outside his room. He hear Ukyou's low voice and Muraki's quiet chuckle in return. Hissing to himself, he drew the blankets up over his head and tried to turn his mind off, tried not to think about what they were doing in the darkness of Ukyou's room. He tried to not feel the relief that Muraki had stayed and the loneliness and the sadness would be held at bay for another night.

His eyes grew heavy in the pitch blackness under the covers, and his thoughts began to drift when he felt a feather light touch brush down his chest.

His eyes snapped open wide and his mind immediately focused. A wave of desire, tenderness, love, lust…

Oh Gods! they were…

Hisoka slammed up the strongest mental shields he could and the emotions receded, but they didn't disappear, and he could still feel it! A gentle pressure sliding down his hip, the warmth of breath against his shoulder.

A moist pressure moved over the skin of his throat, and a hand caressing up the inside of his thigh; Hisoka gasped as pleasure tingled along his senses. He tried again to push away the lingering emotions, as well as the physical sensations, gritting his teeth in the effort.

Damn Ukyou for feeling so strongly!

His back arched as he felt that moist pressure move across his chest and his nipples hardened in reaction. He felt a tingling in his groin and knew that he was hardening in spite of himself.

He drew his legs up and wrapped is arms around them, curling into himself as he tried to ignore the sensations coursing through his body. He knew that it was Muraki causing these sensations, and his own disgust warred with Ukyou's pleasure.

He couldn't help the moan that escaped his lips as he felt Muraki's hands moving over his body as if he was the one being caressed, and his mouth opened in a silent cry as he felt the penetration; painless, pressing deep into him.

Somewhere Muraki was moving, and Hisoka couldn't help but move in time with those thrusts. His thoughts scattered as he was swept away by wave after wave of pleasure, and he could stop the orgasm that shattered him, leaving him feeling limp and spent, gasping for air in the darkness_._


End file.
